Former Sun Devil superstar James Harden worked hard this season, playing off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder. As a sixth man, Harden averaged 12.2 points a game.
When Jeff Green was traded to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins, Harden found both his minutes and role to be more significant for the playoff-bound Thunder.
During the five game series with the Denver Nuggets, Harden averaged 10.4 points and helped the team win the series 4-1 with roughly 30 minutes a game.
Harden has impressed fans across the NBA with his consistent play and crafty lefthanded skills. He has developed nicely as a second-year NBA player, playing more minutes and scoring more points.
There's so much to be said about Harden's contributions this year, but the true test will come in the second round when Oklahoma City tries to advance to the semifinals.
In other news, Eddie House, another former ASU player, advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs as a member of the Miami Heat.